TWO BRIEF HUPC UPDATES

The Ashley National Forest and the Intermountain Regional Office of the Forest Service have released the Final EIS for the Fox Lake Reservoir maintenance proposal (see LYNX, 2/03). And none of it is good. The agency has granted a private land easement to the irrigation company that owns the reservoir and has authorized extensive work on the reservoir using helicopters and heavy mechanical equipment. While the Forest Service may speak to you and me about their dedication to preserving and caring for wilderness, keep in mind this decision. It rests square on their shoulders and they have spoken loudly!

The decision to allow oil drilling on the roadless Main Fork (see LYNX, 4/04) has been set back until next summer. Nonetheless the Wasatch-Cache National Forest will be releasing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement this August. The notice prepared by the forest notes that public scoping, in other words public comments, will not be conducted in accordance with normal procedures and will likely be exempted from appeal!

As we've noted in the past, this also rests squarely on the shoulders of the Forest Service and they have spoken loudly as well develop and drill for oil and gas in one of the most sensitive and quiet places on the Uintas in an area all know fully well that the chance for oil and gas discoveries are close to nil!